.22

Paradise In Hell

How can you find someone if they were never lost. How can you lose something if it was never found? The lost and the found. Two different aspects of the world Hoya did not understand.

"Hyung." Kyungsan called his name again. He finally broke out of his deep trance and turned his attention to Kyungsan. The child was kicking his feet back and forth and had an annoyed pout lit on his face.

"When are you going in?" Kyungsan asked. Good question.

"Stop thinking. Just go." Kyungsan instructed, it was an order. An order coming from an eight year old therapist. His therapist.

Nodding, Hoya pushed the car door open as Kyungsan followed suit. Hoya looked up to the library. This felt like a de ja vu from the last time he was here. The last time Sunggyu brought him here. The difference was that this time Hoya was the one who brought his own self here. With a helpful push from Kyungsan.

--

"Noona." The voice boomed throughout the quiet library. JiAh was stacking up a pile of books. When she wasn't at the orphanage, she was here, at the library where she held a job. It was enough for her, the money allowed her enough cash for a small one bedroom apartment, and enough for food and other utensils she needed.

When she had left, she hadn't exactly left. JiAh found herself to scare to leave. Why? Because she had no other place to go. All she had never known was Seoul. She was born and raised into a loving family. And when her family was taken away, she was put in an orphanage. From there she entered the world of Lee Hoya.

JiAh had never known anything other than that. She had never experience anything else. This was all she ever known, all she ever felt. So even if she ran, she had no place to run to.

"Noona, I miss you." Kyungsan exclaimed as he ran towards her, hugging her. She gave a smile, consisting of just the small tingle of her lips raising up.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. She wasn't surprise Kyungsan had found her. As each day passed she was getting more visits from Chairwoman Lee, and occasionally Sunggyu. Sunggyu reminded her of her brother.

"Hyung, come over here." Kyungsan said causing JiAh's eyes to lift up and land on him. Hoya stood by the entrance of the room, his eyes piercing into hers. She dropped her eyes as a layer of ice formed around herself. He would find her again, she expected it. She prepared herself for this. The truth was that she was in every way unprepared.

"Hey." He mumbled softly and awkwardly.

Speed forward; pass Kyungsan's remarks, the quiet moments where none said a word, and a hour later. JiAh was seated on one of the couches. Hoya was sitting directly across from her. Kyungsan was searching through the aisles of books that the library contained.

Hoya noticed how she shifted in her spot as she bit her lower lip. He took note that her hair was longer. Before it only surpass her shoulders by an inch, now it was midway down her upper body. He noticed that the deep bags underneath her eyes were gone. She was sleeping again, he hoped.

Her eyes never looked up to meet his. The eyes remained glue to the floor underneath them the whole time.

Not being able to take this silence anymore, he stood up from his seat and walked over to her. Stopping directly in front of her, he leaned forward. She didn't move an inch as her body became stone.

With a gentle and soft tone, he spoke, "Look at me." He whispered. He didn't want to come off as harsh and cold. He didn't want her to see that. He didn't want to scare her again, that was what made her leave in the first place, wasn't it?

Slowly she brought her eyes up. Slowly her eyes met his. He saw worlds upon worlds in her chocolate eyes. Universes that were waiting to be looked and heard.

A small smile appeared on his face as he stared at the beautiful woman in front of him. One that was shaped by the gods and put onto earth. But JiAh wasn't molded to be a flower that easily wilted. Hoya knew she was strong, much stronger than anyone gave credit for. He saw the look of hope in her eyes, even when she herself didn't admit it. Hope lingered. That was made her beautiful, it was that special ability only she process. That ability that had enchanted him. And it took him so long to realize it.

"You're beautiful." He mumbled gently and noticed how her eyes widen, how opened, but her words were trapped in , unable to form.

"No. I'm not." Those three words spilled from her lips. He furrowed his brows. No, she was wrong. She was beautiful. She just didn't realize it.

"You're beautiful." He affirmed sternly and watched as her eyes wildly spun like she was trying to make sense of the situation. Hoya didn't know either. He didn't know what was going on between them, if there was even anything at all. All he knew was that he wanted to change. He wanted to change for her.

"You're so beautiful JiAh." He repeated. And he meant it. Every word of it. She was beautiful. Too beautiful for him.

--

"Noona, can I visit you again?" Kyungsan asked. He was seated on the floor in front of JiAh. He was scanning through a book of drawings. Airplanes. The book was filled with pictures of airplanes.

"Yes. Anytime. Noona needs the company."

"Noona," He began as if eyes looked up to her, "Why did you leave?" He asked. The question came from someone whose mind was already too jumble in jigsaw pieces and puzzle. Who was she to put even more weight on his shoulders? No eight year old needed this, but here he was. He was living their hell along with them, and saving them.

"You won't understand." She stated sadly.

"How do you know?" He questioned as he looked up to her with wide brown eyes.

"Look outside your window someday and tell me what you see. Until you do, you won't understand." She mumbled softly.

He pouted and looked back down towards the book, "I see buildings when I look out the window." He replied.

"Exactly."

"Kyungsan, let's go." Hoya called over. Kyungsan nodded as he stood up, hug JiAh and ran out. She sighed, grabbing the book he had left behind and slowly standing up.

She ran the second Kyungsan returned from his book search. Hoya's words to her still lingered in her mind. Beautiful. What did he see in her that was so beautiful?

"You know, around me he's like Einstein. But around you he's just another eight year old. How do you do that?" Hoya asked as he stepped forwards towards her. This whole time, Kyungsan had been this amazing prodigy who had the answers to everything, knew everything, understood everything. With JiAh however, he was human.

"He's learning. We all are. We just have to teach him as he teaches us." JiAh stated.

"But that child is raising me." Hoya remarked. Kyungsan was raising him, bringing him back from ashes and together into one whole.

"JiAh, maybe sometimes you need to look out your window. Maybe sometimes I need to also." Hoya stated. She nodded knowing he was right. The air became thick with silence afterwards as neither uttered a single word.

"Why did you do it?" She whispered softly, not even sure if her voice reached his ears.

"Because Kyungsan reminded me of you." Hoya answered. He knew her question. He saw it coming. Why did he take Kyungsan? Why did he decide to adopt an eight year old when he could be doing a thousand other things in his life?

"Take care of him okay. He's special."

Hoya exhaled deeply, "I don't think I can do it alone though." He stated honestly. "I really do need help."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Nothing, I'm just saying. I need help. And I know you're do anything for Kyungsan." Those were his last words before walking away, leaving her to the silence once again. JiAh collapsed on the ground, letting the book in her arm slip away along with everything else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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InfinitExotic
#1
Chapter 31: I read this once a while back but I didn’t have an account so I never commented ._. But I have one now and I just so happened to stumble upon this beautiful piece of writing once again! I loved all the character development and Kyungsan, you smart bb. It made my little heart hurt to know how much things they went through ;-; but they’re happy together and that’s all that matters! Thank you for writing this wonderful story!
julietinlove #2
Chapter 31: This story... is... soooo goood!!!!!!!!
_Taemi_
#3
Chapter 31: haha the ending was so funny. it was a nice hoya fic ^^
CheCheBingEr #4
Chapter 31: At least I can say bye to the bucket of tears I shed;;
LiaGuk2
#5
Chapter 31: Oh my God, I really love your fic so much. The way you made the characters was really alive.
elexctra
#6
Chapter 31: Can I just say how much I loved this story? The character development is on point and the way you portrayed their emotions was beautifully done. There were some typos but it didn't distract me from reading the story too much. Hoya and JiAh though :(( Many feelings, much love ughh.

Also the fact a great fic with Hoya in it...such a gem.

Such a good story keep up the good work! :)
awmyung #7
Chapter 31: omg i love this story!!!
Trin20k #8
Chapter 31: OHHH IM SO GLAD YOU ENDED IT LIKE THIS, I LOVE THIS STORY <3
dry_petals
#9
Chapter 31: Yeah!!! I really like it!