Chapter 3:
Book 1 Rose
He was sitting just below the big tree as he silently watched other kids playing around. He does not like crowd. He was so used to playing computer games with his younger sister. He finds it hard to meet someone he can easily get along with. Good for him, he has a sister or else he would spending his entire life alone. While he was sipping on his juice box, he was startled by the voice coming from the back.
"Hey!" She looked at cute girl wearing a polka-dotted dress and a white sweater, her wavy hair lying just above her shoulders. She was not smiling, though. He was annoyed at the girl, does she even know what it means when a person distance himself from the others? Does she know the meaning of subtly saying "Leave me alone"?
"Can I sit beside you?", she did not wait for his response as she situated herself just beside him. She then turned her head to him as she spoke, "Are you Korean? Do you understand Korean?" Hyun Seung did not answer back, he just glared at the girl. "I am Park Jang Mi and I am new to this school", she said in straight English.
"Mworago?", Hyun Seung barked. What happened next was not something he expected. Jang Mi let out a loud laugh then she said, "Honestly, I really thought you're mute. Oh thank God you're talking. Besides Korean, I only know English."
"Ya! Go away. I wanna be alone", Hyun Seung said. He caught Jang Mi raising her left brow. "Oh, me too. I want to be alone", then she smirked. She was obviously mimicking him. Hyun Seung suddenly stood up and slung his backpack on his shouldder.
"You live in Kyobo Apartment Building, right?", she waited for Hyun Seung.
Hyun Seung stopped in his tracks. How did she know about where he lives? It is official, he thought. This girl is a creep. "How did you even know that?"
"Oh, I live two floors above yours. When we moved in to Kyobo, I saw you with your Mom and your sister at the elevator. Your sister looks nicer, though.", she said dreamily. She smirked again. "When I saw you in the hallway earlier, I was happy to see someone I know. Well, at least someone who lives in the same building as I do. Can we be friends?" This time, it was not her usual smirk. She flashed him a sincere smile.
Hyun Seung was not really sure how their friendship began or when he started getting comfortable around Jang Mi. But right after that incident, they went home together, played together and sometimes Jang Mi would stay in Hyun Seung's house to play with him and his sister. Sometimes, Hyun Seung would go to Jang Mi's house. He liked it there because of her Mom. She was really kind and she'd always cook for him and Jang Mi. Unlike Jang Mi's mother who gave up working to take care of her, Hyun Seung's parents were always busy. They rarely talk with each other. He and his sister were left with an ahjumma to look after them.
Time flew by so fast, they graduated from grade school. They were both happy because their parents enrolled them in the same school. But before Hyun Seung even started middle school, their family experienced a huge problem. He and Jang Mi were on the hallway of the apartment building when they heard voices shouting. They ran to Hyun Seung's home only to find his mother shouting at his father, a huge bag beside him. His dad was trying to explain something to his mom but his mom was hysterical. She looked around for his sister and found her crouching at the corner of the living room, her back to the wall wiping the tears from her eyes as she continued to sob.
Jang Mi saw Hyun Seung dashed to his sister and hugged her. He ignored the two adults fighting and brought his sister to her room. Jang Mi followed Hyun Seung to his sister's room. The siblings were hugging each other while his sister was crying nonstop. She did not know what to do so she went out and proceeded to the kitchen. She got a glass of water and brought it to Hyun Seung's sister.
"Can you keep an eye on her for awhile?", he said calmly. She was shocked seeing his face, there were no tears. She could not explain how it looked like, it is devoid of happiness nor sadness, just his blank stoic face. She nodded and brought his sister to the bed. At the age of 10, she knew it would be traumatic for her to see such a scene. So she tried her best to calm her down until she fell asleep.
Hyun Seung went to the living room, her mom was crying incessantly. His father could not look at him in the eye. "Eoma, Appa? What's wrong?"
"Your good father has another woman! He made us look like a fool! He cheated on me, you and your sister! I cannot live with such a man! Now get the hell outta my house! Get OUT!!!" which she followed with a slap on his father's face. He did not move, it looked like he was ready to receive the slap. His father then tried to approach him, he knelt down and as tears began to fall from his father's eyes, he looked at him and said "I'm sorry, Hyun Seung. I'm sorry. I hope you and your sister forgive your father. Goodbye, son." He patted him on the head.
That was all he said and he was gone. That was the worst memory he ever had.
Things started to get tough after that. His mom was so devastated that she suffered depression and eventually lost her job. They had to rely on her mom's savings to live because she was so stubborn to accept the money his father gave them.
Hyun Seung had to be strong for her mom and his sister. Things got even worse.
One time, his mother almost burned their house down. She left the stove open and burned her cooking, good thing Jang Mi dropped by the house after school to check on him. She was able to put out the fire. He realized then that he had to look after his mom as well, not just his sister. He learned how to do laundry, how to cook and clean the house. It was easy for him to stay in the house after school, afterall he does not have many friends. Rather, he only has Jang Mi as his friend.
Because they had little money left, and his mom rarely visited the grocery, he'd only prepare his sister's breakfast and lunch box. If he would bring food with him, he and her sister would have to share with the little food they had. He'd do that everyday, he would go to school with an empty stomach.
Jang Mi found Hyun Seung drinking from a water fountain at the hallway during lunch break. "Hey! My mom cooked bibimbap. I guess she prepared way too many. It would be a waste if I cannot finish them all. You want to have some? Come!", she said dragging Hyun Seung to the nearby bench. "I 've already eaten.", he said without looking at Jang Mi. Jang Mi checked if he has lunchbox bag with him but she found none. She knew he was lying, he's probably embarrassed to admit he did not have food. "I know you've eaten but I also know boys tend to eat a lot. So I know you can help me finish them all.", she winked at him.
Jang Mi saw how hungry he was, he never looked at her as he continued to devour the food. Jang Mi smiled as she watched him. What a bad friend. You can tell me anything, you pabo. You call me your friend but you're too shy to ask for my help. You prefer to act cool, she thought while pouting.
Hyun Seung visited Jang Mi at their house one day. He was used to just barging in without a knock. When he was about to enter the kitchen, he heard Jang Mi and her parents talking. "What a poor boy. You can tell him and her sister they can stay here if their mother did not prepare any food for them", his father said. "Thanks, Dad. Mom, could you prepare extra lunch for me so I could share it with Hyun Seung in school?" His mom smiled at her. "Arasseo.", she said lovingly holding Jang Mi's chin. "You must pity him about the whole situation", his father asked. She pouted then she smiled proudly, "Anieyeo. In fact, I really look up to him. I know it would not happen to us but if I were him, I do not think I could handle it like he did. I want to be like Oppa, he's really strong." Her mom smiled again. "Of course, he is."
He heard everything they talked about. He silently walked out from their house. He went to the nearby park. He was just staring at the sky. He then took his mobile phone off his pocket and dialed a number.
Jang Mi arrived after a few minutes. She was out of breath after running. "Haym...Sorryyy...I had to sneak out from Mom and Dad, they'd never allow me to go out of the house this late." She sat beside Hyun Seung. "Oppa, kwenchana?", she asked. It all happened in a flash. Without saying a word, Hyun Seung suddenly hugged her. She was so shocked she could not even utter a word. She just patted his back.
She didn't have a clue whether he was crying until he heard his tiny sobs. She never uttered a single word, she just patted his back and listened as he constantly drew in his breath sharply followed by sobs. They were like that for god-knows-how-long. Her neck was so tired looking up, since Hyun Seung's taller even when they're sitting, as he continued to hug her. She got tired of patting his back as well so she just kept twirling the hem of his t-shirt. She knew he was wiping his tears.
After several moments, he finally spoke without letting go of the hug. "I...I...was never strong. Because from the very start...I really wanted to cry", he said as he cried again.
That was the only time she saw him crying. After that, he went back to his normal self. This time, a little smile appeared in his face whenever she joked around. He never brought up what happened to the park after that. Out of respect, she never mentioned it, too. She never asked.
After a few months, her mother seemed to realize that her kids need her. Jang Mi's parents helped her get a new job. Things started to go back to normal for Hyun Seung and his sister.
Chapter 3 is up! It's a flashback chapter so, yeah..
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