♪ one more step

“I don’t want to stay here!” Minwoo defied in the corridor, shaking his body from side to side to emphasize his point. Aejin sent the teacher an apologetic look before she crouched down in front of him.

“Minwoo, you have to go to school. You’re already three months late.” She pointed out.

“Then stay with me!” he demanded indignantly.

“I can’t, I have classes at ten and after that I still have to go look for a job before we become homeless.”

“But—but, what if you leave me here?” he quivered.

Aejin sighed and held both of his hands as she stared lovingly at him, “Did I leave you at Mr. Go’s?” she questioned softly. Minwoo opened his mouth to protest but then quickly looked away, knowing very well that she had a valid point. Aejin shook her head and thought back to that previous Sunday.

When she returned to her apartment after failing at finding any type of work, she discovered her neighbor, Mr. Go, standing in front of her door with a crying Minwoo sitting on the floor beside him. By the way his brows puckered in the center, the super-duper deep valleys resting on his forehead, the frown plastered on his lips and his arms folded against his chest, she could tell immediately that he was not pleased with Minwoo or her.

Mr. Go was never the friendly type. If Aejin hadn’t run a few errands for his wife a couple of times here and there, he would have never agreed to watch Minwoo for her while the missus was out working at the community’s laundry mat. “I’m really sorry, Mr. Go.” She apologized while bowing a good three times. The man didn’t respond as he scowled at her.

“Next time you leave him at someone’s house, make sure to teach him some manners.” He reprimanded in a cold and hostile tone before returning back to his apartment. It was with a loud slam that Aejin knew he’d never ever want to babysit Minwoo again. She rubbed her temples and the wailing died off.

“No-noona!” Minwoo shrieked as he coiled his arms around her legs, never wanting to let her out of his sights again. “I thought you weren’t going to come back for me.”

“Is that why you were acting out at the Go’s? Aigoo, Minwoo! Didn’t I tell you I was going to come back and get you? And be careful when you call me noona, people think I'm your omma. If you keep calling me that people might think I kidnapped you.” she frowned, pulling him off so that she could unlock the door. Minwoo stared at her with doe and watering eyes making Aejin feel guilty even though she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Shaking her head at the memory, Aejin looked at Minwoo again. “You have to stay in school. If you don’t, you won’t learn anything.”

“Why can’t I learn it from you then?!” he huffed.

“Because I’m not a teacher, I’m not even done with my own studies yet. Aigoo, Minwoo. If you stay and be a good boy for your seongsaengnim, I’ll take you to get ice cream after school, okay?” she bargained as a last resort.

“I-ice cream?” he repeated with a slight hitch due to his excitement.

“Mhm. But only if you be a very, very good student.”

“And you’ll really come back to get me?”

“I promise,” she held her hand up like she was taking an oath. Suddenly, Minwoo ran to her and hugged her neck. Aejin was startled for a moment but then smiled as she hugged him back. “That’s a good Minwoo,” she sighed.

As she watched the teacher holding Minwoo’s hand, leading him into the classroom, she peered through the small window to see how he was holding up. Aejin noticed how he held tightly onto his backpack straps and giggled, finding him impeccably cute. Then, she guessed the teacher had introduced him because she heard a chorusing of  “Annyonghaeseyo, Minwoo.” Echoing through the door. Right when she was about to leave, she caught Minwoo peeking over at her and she pumped her fist in the air and winked at him. A signal of her encouragement. He gave her a small nod before letting go of his teacher’s hand and walking over to sit amongst his peers.

“You’ll do great,” she muttered optimistically before leaving the school.

[♦] [♦] [♦]

“Ah uhm—ahjumma, would you perhaps have a better place than this?” Aejin frowned as she eyed the small and confined space.

“I’m sorry dear, but this is the cheapest your money could afford. I’m being very generous to you. If my husband found out I rented this place to you for only 200,000 won a month he would kick you and I both out.” Mrs. Kang stated sorrowfully.

“N-no, don’t apologize. You’re right, this place is good. I’m sorry for being so picky,” Aejin bowed and Mrs. Kang stopped her from bowing any more.

“You aren’t picky. I understand you want good living conditions for you and your son. It’s alright. Being a single mother is hard work and you’re still in college? Aigoo, where is the child’s father? Can’t he help you out?” she pestered.

“Uh—he just left us. I haven’t heard from him in years,” Aejin nibbled on her bottom lip, feeling awfully guilty that she was lying to such a nice woman. But if she didn’t tell her Minwoo was her son how else was she supposed to convince Mrs. Kang to give her this tiny apartment for such a low price? She didn’t want to but she had to. There were no other routes for her to take. Her time in her old home was running down and she needed to find another place as soon as possible or she and Minwoo would be sleeping in the shelters if not the streets.

“What kind of man does that? This is why I always urge young girls like yourself to get married first before you do anything like getting pregnant. At least then you’ll have him tied down.” The elder sighed. “But you can’t change the past however you can control your future. So from here on out, Aejin, make sure you think before you act, alright?”

“I think before I act—sometimes.” Aejin disagreed as she closed the door to their new home. Although Mrs. Kang was trying to be nice and supportive, her words still stung. It was clear that she also looked down at her just as her parents did and still probably do. Aejin was aware that her new landlord pitied her and Minwoo. However, she didn’t care at the moment because thanks to her pity, they were going to have a roof over their heads.

This certainly provided Aejin with some more time to try and find a new job to help stabilize everything.

As she gave herself a tour which wasn’t long at all, she saw that the place was only divided into two rooms. One room was the bathroom while the second was supposed to be the kitchen, bedroom and dining-room combined into one. Aejin then walked over to the window and pulled up the shades only to come face to face with a huge billboard advertising an aloe drink. Her face fell and her hopes of rising to a glorious sun were shattered. She had found out about this place through a flyer she found at a store she was denied work as a cashier and decided why not give it a shot which was how she ended up there.

“I have to wake up every morning to see this?” she sighed, yanking the shades back down. “I’d rather not see it at all then.” Aejin took a second glance at her surroundings and allowed her shoulders to slump. “I guess we should start moving in before we get kicked out. It’s less humiliating that way.”

Making sure to lock the door, she carefully slipped the key into her pocket for safe keeping as the cool breeze smothered her back. Her attention after fell to the three flights of steps she had to climb up to get there. At least I’ll stay fit. Hopefully Minwoo won’t mind the walk. Suddenly, her watch beeped and her eyes rounded seeing that it was five minutes before the children would be dismissed.

Fortunately, the apartment she had managed to snag was a mere seven minute walk. So if she ran she would still be able to make it on time. How funny was it that their new home was much