16 | Fire

 

***

 

Pulling the car over in a parking lot, Seohyun immediately turned her behind and smile at her son who is excited to step out of their car. She rolled his window over so he could have the air outside.

 

"Do you mind if I leave you for a while, son? I just need to buy us a bottle of water. Forgot to buy it earlier." 

 

"Yeah, sure, Omma." Chanyoung nodded excitedly. "Just hurry."

 

"Of course." She smiled sweetly as she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. 

 

Chanyoung smiles as he takes his headphone off and could hear the squeals, and laughter of kids not far from him. His childlike heart is excited. It's what he had been missing since he hasn't returned to school. He started wagging his legs, waiting impatiently for his mother to return feels like forever. 

 

Suddenly hearing a ringing phone, he raised his brows when he realized his mother left it in the passenger seat. He unbuckled his seat belt with difficulty but the ring stopped which made him annoyed as he rolled his eyes.

 

He buckled back his seat belt however as he resumed waiting for his mother while his legs are wagging non-stop. 

 

Approximately 10 minutes later, he finally saw his mother returning. 

 

"Omma took a little while." He pouted as he told her.

 

"Mianhe, I decided to bought your favorite too, so... " Seohyun sheepishly smiled at her son as she opened the box of dumplings she got for a cheaper price.

 

"Omma is forgiven then." Chanyoung smiled brightly as he took one of the dumplings and excitedly took a bite.

 

"How do you like it?"

 

"It's tasty too, Omma. Just like Woojin's mother."

 

Seohyun is stunned. "What? Not like mine?"

 

"You don't cook me a lot. Minahe." He apologized right away.

 

"Fine. You'll get a lot of dumplings when we returned home then." Stepping out of the car, Seohyun went to her son's side and help him step out of the car. 

 

"Where's Appa?" Chanyoung realized it was only them.

 

"At the headquarters. He won't be coming."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because the doctor will scold him. When he can finally leave, it's going to be more fun." She smiled assuredly at her son. She took their picnic mat from the trunk and a plastic bag of dinner meal before she walk with her son to the children's park in Han River.

 

Couldn't hold it any longer, Chanyoung let go of his mother's hand and runs to the park first. Seohyun wanted to give him a warning but he has already disappeared before her eyes. She looked around to check if anyone saw how fast her son runs, she exhaled in relief to see no one seems to notice that. 

 

After a while, she reached the park and found her son sliding down the slide with the other kids. Her heart is happy to see the bright face and his giggles that are like music to her ears.

 

Placing down the picnic mat on the grass, she set up the food and sits down, watching her son from the distance like it was her first time.

 

Chanyoung's happiness is definitely her happiness as his mother's. 

 

"Aigoo." After a couple of minutes, she decided to have the kimbap while glancing at her son from time to time.

 

"Omma." Suddenly Chanyoung stopped playing to wave his arm in the air.

 

"Chanyoungie. Are you having fun?" She waves her hand back as she took another bite of her kimbap.

 

"Yes! Omma!" Chanyoung shouted back before he runs again to the slide.

 

Her phone suddenly rings, causing her to put the lunch box down and grab her phone from her bag. "Oh, hey there Chanyoung's Appa." she answered Yoona's phone call with a sweet smile.

 

[Are you guys in the park now?]

 

"Yep, too bad you are not here."

 

[Let me see him.]

 

"Sure." She pulled back from the phone to press the video button and Yoona's face from his hospital bed greeted her. She smiled as she turns the camera to the back so he could see their son. She zoomed in to their little boy who just slide his way down.

 

[Aww, look at that face.]

 

"I know right? The most adorable happy face of a 4-year-old boy." She giggled.

 

[Those kids are happy to play with him too, aren't they?]

 

"Absolutely."

 

[By the way, keep your eyes on him, he might do something out of his will, like pushing someone with his extraordinary strength.]

 

"I keep checking, don't worry. And he's having fun, he will not do such a thing."

 

[Okay, I trust him. My son deserves this either way.] Yoona sighs from the next line but his lips curved into a warm smile.

 

Seohyun got quiet when she realized her husband is watching immensely. She herself couldn't stop watching the joy on their son's face. They're contagious and the most precious thing in the world.

 

—

 

"Tsk, you looked like you showered with your own sweats." Seohyun smiled in amusement while wiping the sweat off her son's back with a face towel. Chanyoung is having his favorite food, is shirtless, and couldn't stop eating. "Now you're hungry like a bear." She giggled. 

 

"Omma should play too." said Chanyoung in a mumble.

 

"Did you see any parents playing?"

 

"Nope." He raised his brows. "But I want to play with you too."

 

"Too late. We're going home after this." 

 

"Okay." He shrugged his shoulders and flashed a grin while his mouth is full.

 

Seohyun scoffed, handing her son the bottle of water. "Don't go anywhere, I'll get a dry shirt first." She said as she got up.

 

"Yes." Chanyoung nodded as he opened the bottle and have himself cold water.

 

Satisfied, Seohyun jogs off to the car. The place isn't as crowded as earlier anymore so she felt like her son would be safe. When she reached the car, she has to rummage in the compartment until she saw the sleeveless shirt of her son. It had been there since they had the camping which made her sigh in relief because she never thought of bringing a new shirt. 

 

Jogging back to where her son is, she didn't see him at the picnic so she looked around while her heart is beating fast once again.

 

"Did you guys see my son?" She asks one of the kids in the playground. "That one without shirt?"

 

"Oh, Chanyoungie? I saw him going there, Ahjumma." The female kid pointed at the trees.

 

"Thank you." She said gratefully before she jogs toward the trees. "Chanyoung-ah!" she called out loud and realized it leads to the road. "Chanyoung?!" she stepped out of the bush and found people crowding someone. Her heart beats even faster as she rushed to them and squeezed herself into the center. "Chanyoung?" Her heart was relieved to see her son beside a woman, harmless.

 

"Omma." Chanyoung looked up with a smile.

 

"Your son save the woman, Ma'am." One of the bystanders told her.

 

"What happened?" She asked Chanyoung as she pulled him up to his feet.

 

"There was a car that was speeding, he was fast to push the woman to the side." Another one explained. "At least the woman just got few scratches."

 

"Chincha? You did it?" 

 

"What's your name, boy? Thank you so much." The woman smiled gratefully to Chanyoung.

 

"My name is Chanyoung. I'm happy to see you fine, Ahjumma." Said Chanyoung as he bowed.

 

Seohyun smiled awkwardly before she drags her son gently away from the people. She made sure they were far enough before she stopped walking and lowered herself to level their eyes. "This is going to be the last time, okay? I told you that you can't show whatever you can do to the public." 

 

"But the woman needs my help."

 

"Even so! It's not your job to do that. You're just a kid, Chanyoung. Okay, I know you find it rewarding but please, be careful. People shouldn't know this, otherwise, they're going to pester you. Do you understand me?" She firmly ended.

 

Chanyoung looked down. "Yes." He's a bit upset. He thought his mother would be happy to learn he saved someone's life. 

 

Sighing, Seohyun caressed her son's hair as she get up and then put the shirt on. She grabs his hand as they returned to their picnic.

 

***

 

"What happened earlier?" Yoona asked the moment Seohyun stepped out of the bathroom. "Your son has been quiet since you guys returned and he fell asleep without even talking to me or you." 

 

"He's sulking." Said Seohyun as she checked their son onto the sofa. She sighs afterward. "I scolded him for showing what he can do to the public." she added, pulling the chair next to her husband. "Most of the people there are praising him with how fast he was to save a woman from getting hit."

 

"Now that makes sense." Yoona muttered as he turned his head to his left. "It must be great for him to do that because it was a good deed not knowing the result when others learn about this."

 

"I know right?" said Seohyun as she reached for the doe-eyed's legs and started massaging it. "You weren't able to walk around, did you?"

 

"Yeah, but I did some walk around this ward." Yoona smiled at her. 

 

Just then, Seohyun heard her phone chimes which cause her to get up and pick it up from the sofa. She returned to her husband to show the clip Sunny sent. "It was captured as I've expected."

 

Yoona immediately grabs her phone to have a closer look at Chanyoung's flash speed toward the woman that almost got hit by the car. "Did Noona already delete this from the CCTVs?"

 

"Yes. I can't let anyone leak that." 

 

"How about the people around?"

 

"I think no one saw that coming so no one was able to capture it." She is confident Chanyoung was safe from the others.

 

"Damn, he needs to control this." Yoona cursed unconsciously. "With the recent news about the Kim Pharmacy and the circle, he has to keep hidden from everyone's eyes."

 

"He has to keep in mind that helping isn't necessary for someone at his age." Seohyun is glad she has the same sentiment as her husband.

 

"But how will he do it? I think it's hard for him to do that at such an age. And for someone who is fond of superhero movies." 

 

She chuckled. "Right. It's going to be tough for him. Tsk, why did Taeyeon choose our son out of all babies that time?" 

 

"That only means one time, he's fated to be a superhuman." Yoona has accepted such a fate as well. 

 

"Maybe... maybe not?" Seohyun shrugged her shoulders.

 

"But is there a way for that ability to stop? Like in the movies, there is some kind of antidote."

 

"I doubt they have time to do that. Taeyeon was obsessed with doing another superhuman like our son. Who knows if he is even still doing it right now with his scientists that haven't even captured."

 

"I just hope there's an antidote. It's our last hope to give our son a normal life." Yoona sighs as he glances at their sleeping child. His concern for him would never leave as long as he can't control his desire to help.

 

***

 

It had been an hour since Seohyun fell asleep next to her son when she suddenly got disturbed by her sleep because of the sniffles by her side. She slowly opened her eyes and it only took a second before she realized Chanyoung is crying. "Wha-what's happening, honey?" she got alarmed instantly.

 

"Chanyoung is having... bad... headaches." Said Chanyoung in between his sniffles while he wipes his tears off constantly.

 

"W-wait." Getting off the bed, Seohyun remembers the small bottle of pain reliever for kids the doctor has given her. She hastily opened their backpack and look for it. After a minute, she found it and hastily returned to her son's side. "Sit up, honey." she asks.

 

Chanyoung push himself up and opened his mouth as she received the pain reliever. 

 

"I got you." Stepping out of the sofa again, she pick her up and kissed his cheek as the latter rested his head on her shoulder. "You'll be alright." whispers her softly. She couldn't believe it was happening again and it somehow made her worry. 'Should we get another CT scan?' 

 

Chanyoung felt so weak that he couldn't ask his mother about it. But he suddenly remembers the dream he had before waking up due to the headache. "Omma... "

 

"Hmm?" 

 

"I had... a bad dream."

 

"What is it?" She whispers as she held his head while swaying her body left to right.

 

"There's... a huge... fire... in a city." Chanyoung softly shared. "People screaming for help... sirens are loud... and I saw someone like a silhoutte coming out from a building..."

 

"Aigoo, let's not talk-"

 

"I think that was... one of the circles... "

 

Seohyun raised her eyebrows as she stopped moving. "Fire... you mentioned someone who makes fire, right?" She remembers hearing it days ago.

 

"Yes." 

 

"It's probably just really a bad dream. Don't think about it too much. It might cause your pain." She advised earning a nod from her son. She resumed soothing her son for the next couple of minutes until she heard his soft snores. She finally can relax but she spends more time dancing with her son in her arms while she ponders about getting her son a CT scan.

 

***

 

[1 week later]

 

Jessica came out of an establishment, letting out a huge exhausted exhale. She had her 5th interview for the fifth company that called her but it's the fifth time also that the company did not positively respond after her interview. All of them really had cold shoulders when they told her they will just call.

 

The bank suddenly sent her a message that she has to add more money to her account otherwise it will be terminated. 

 

"Why can't this country loves to put someone really down and doesn't get a second chance at life?" She is really exhausted. She just to end everything but Jaehyun would be an orphan if she thinks of herself. "Aish." She frustratingly kicks the nearby trash bin and sits down on a bench. "Should I start robbing?" She desperately said but in a joking way as she laughs at her own solution.

 

Once again she heard her phone chimes and this time she didn't regret opening the message. 

 

Seohyun: I haven't sent this, have I? But here's cutie Jaehyun when he and Chanyoung were playing in our backyard the last time I babysit him. 

 

The photo brings a big smile to her face but at the same time, her tears drop unconsciously. 

 

"I have the most handsome and cutest son, don't I?" She chuckled bitterly. "Aigoo..." She exhaled so loud while wiping her tears off. "Fighing, Jessica Jung!" she cheered on herself with a fist bump. "It's only been a week since you started looking for a job. This isn't the end." And couldn't help but save the photo. 

 

Thank you for this, Seohyunie. This really cheered me on. ♥

Seohyun: Anytime, Unnie. 

 

She giggles upon reading her message. They have really slowly getting closer and reading 'Unnie' to her message always makes her flutter. It adds to her optimism at the moment. 

 

Upon closing her phone, she noticed people from the right side running in a hurry. She got up and blocked one of them.

 

"What's happening?" She asked curiously.

 

"There's a huge fire currently." The lady informed her and left her immediately.

 

"Fa-fire?" She stepped into the road and tried to see the fire from the distance. She could only see the huge smoke from the sky. "The sauna." But she realized it was near the building where the sauna is locate