“Don’t worry Ricky,” her mother cooed as she brushed her hair back. “Changjo will be there and I’ll get you ice cream as a treat.” She smiled down at her son as she straightened her small bow tie. Ricky just nodded, but didn’t say a word. Her mother frowned a little in sadness. Ricky has become such a quiet child. She hardly spoke anymore, and she just stayed in her room at home.

“Let’s go now or we’ll be late!” Her father called out. She looked up at her father and nodded as she held her mother’s hand.

The dinner party was quiet and posh. She made her way inside and hid in the back where all the other children were. She couldn’t find Changjo, so she just sat in silence. She played with the hem of her jacket, but she didn’t look up.

“Oh my, such a pretty little thing!” Ricky looked up to see a woman squatting down before her. She recognized her as the mother of that boy from the park. She gasped as she saw her face once again and was stunned by how beautiful she looked. “Why are you here all by yourself?” Ricky looked back down and played with her hem some more.

“I don’t know where Changjo is,” she said in a small voice.

“Is he your friend?” Ricky nodded. She was met with a hand. “Come on, I’ll help you find him.”

-

‘I wonder where Ricky is,’ Thought Changjo as he walked through the party. He was having a hard time getting through because the adults legs were too close together. He made it to one section, and he tried to get through, but the adults didn’t pay him any attention. He stuck his arm through and tried to squeeze through, but the adult didn’t budge. They merely ignored him as they continued to chat. Right when he was about to give up, he felt a hand grab onto his and pull him through.

“Stupid kids,” the adults grumbled before walking away towards the other side of the room. Changjo turned to see a smiling boy before him, still holding his hand.

“Are you okay?” The boy asked. Changjo looked up from the hand holding his to the face of a little boy with large eyes and thick lips.

“Yeah, I’m just looking for someone,” he said as he pulled his hand away.

“Want me to help?” The boy asked. Changjo shook his head and started to walk away. “Then I’ll just follow!” The boy chirped. Changjo rolled his eyes and went to find Ricky. He wanted to be alone, but he couldn’t lose him. He tried going through the crowd and running down the hall, but even when he would think that he lose him, he would be right next to him. “Are you looking for the really pretty boy whose necklace you’re wearing?” Changjo stopped and looked down at his neck and back up to the boy.

“How do you know him?” He questioned. He didn’t trust this boy. He didn’t trust anybody when it came to Ricky, not even his own parents.

“I gave him the necklace yesterday!” The boy smiled and Changjo looked him up and down before sighing and walking away. “Maybe my mom knows where he is!” The boy ran off in the other direction, and Changjo was barely able to catch up to him as he ran through the crowd. “Mama!”

“Wait!” He yelled.

-

“Don’t worry honey, we’ll find him.” Ricky looked up to the woman and smiled. “Don’t be sad, you’re too pretty to frown.” Ricky smiled up at the older woman before tugging at her arm. She looked down at him before crouching before him. “What is it honey?” Ricky fiddled with his fingers before looking up at the woman.

“Is it bad that I want to be pretty like you?” Ricky looked down at his hands before looking back up at the woman. She just smiled and held onto Ricky’s hands.

“Honey, nothing is wrong with someone wanting to be the best that they are. It doesn’t matter how you decide to live your life, as long as you are happy.”

Beep. Beep.

The woman looked down at her phone before her smile faltered. She stood up and pulled Ricky forward.

“I’m sorry honey, but I have to go,” she said before she stood.

“Mama!” She twirled around and stepped forward to pick up a little boy, who was running towards them before running out of the room. Ricky looked after them, but was saddened that she could not see that little boy before they left.

“Ricky!” She turned around to find Changjo running towards her. “I found you!” He exclaimed. He quickly unclasped the necklace from his neck and went behind Ricky. “You left this at my house,” he said. Ricky smiled as she felt the cool metal touch her neck. She turned and hugged Changjo tightly before they heard the adults yelling. They were gathering at the window. Being the curious children they were, they rushed forward to see what was going on.

All they saw was the color of golden light emanating in the distance. They couldn’t see what was causing the light, but they couldn’t look away. It looked beautiful to them. It looked like the sun, but smaller. The gold color radiated across the night, and they were so focused on it, that they didn’t hear the adults.

“There was a crash.”