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Amiable
The slender woman wore a large, bulky fur coat that day. He could easily tell from one glance that it was, oh perhaps hundreds, possibly even thousands of dollars—money that his family could never dream of acquiring.
Her daughter on the other hand, had on a simple, fluffy dress laced with white ribbons and pink ruffles. She was on the chubby side; her cheeks round and her legs short and stubby and her curly hair tied up into a tight ponytail that bounced on her head.
He couldn't imagine that he'd even have to talk to her.
Even walking next to her would be embarassing, no doubt.
But he followed his parents' requests, as he was trained to be very obedient at the time, and walked beside her, spoke to her when no one at school would, protected her when older girls would throw insults and profanity at her, and even tedious things such as wiping her dress when she spilled a cup of milk (which happened over three times in a week; the lady was very clumsy).
And of course, naturally, since he was the only friend that she had, she was smitten. Infatuated. Totally and completely in love. What was worse, she thought that he had the same feelings buried inside his mind too, especially after all the time they had spent together. All that time; those three years of cleaning, protection, profanity, and obedience.
The sad thing was, when he was offered the chance to move halfway across the country to live with his grandparents (his parents had given him an option this time, for they were doing quite well now) he instantaneously accepted. No hesitations; he didn't falter for even a second.
The night he was packing the last of his luggage to leave, the young girl peered into his room; longing in her eyes as she said,
"Jiyong, are you really going? Must you go? Can't you stay with me and Momma and Poppa and all the servants?"
She rubbed at her eyes; obviously tired.
He checked the time.
9:03.
Three minutes past her bedtime.
He sighed in frustration before lifting her up into his arms and walking over to her room.
When he opened the door, both of her arms were already tightly wrapped around his neck.
He tried to pull them off, but she was stubborn. As usual.
After she was tucked in with her crew of stuffed animals, he smiled. Perhaps he hadn't loathed her as much as he thought he did; his affection for her was something he had never been able to fathom.
He was about to leave when her eyes sluggishly blinked open.
"Jiyong..."
He smiled again, before waving to her drowsy face.
"I'll be back."
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