Joong has a birth mark at the back of his head. It is a skull with a bone cross. Not many know of this, because his birth mark is hidden by his hair.

An adventurous boy exploring his surroundings like climbing trees, going up to the mountains, walking by the river, going to the beach, swimming and taking a bath. He is like a fish when he swims. He would explore everything and anything he fancy.

Joong would play with the other kids and be the best one there. Whatever game they play, he was the one to beat.

Nothing seemed to deter him.

In one of his adventures to the sea, when he went swimming, he saw a stone that he fancied. It was big and looked similar to an American football and looked heavy, but when he picked it up it was actually not that heavy. Joong took it and carried it to shore.

"Aaahh I wonder what this is?"  Talking to himself.

He placed the stone to his ear. And shook it a bit. Like shaking a coconut. And listened for a sound.  He wondered why he would listen to a stone and laughed at himself for his foolishness. "Hahahaha Are you crazy? Listening to a stone? Whatever got into you?" He berated himself. Shaking his head." Laughed again, "And a big smile is on his lips. "Fool." Joong said to himself.  He placed the stone beside his clothes and went back swimming and exploring the deep sea.

When Joong got tired he swam to the shore, and laid down beside his clothes and rested a bit. He fell asleep.

Drowsily, when he woke up, it was already sunset. The cold breeze woke him up. He put his clothes on and hurried home carrying his find.

"Joong, you've been to the sea again, I see. Go and take a bath before you have your dinner. Now! Go!" Joong's mom said to him. "And watch the floor. You have sand all over you.  You better clean that up after your bath."

"Yes, mom. I will. Sorry about the sand. I promise to clean it up right after my bath." Joong answered his mom. And went straight to the bathroom.

"And Joong, what is that you're carrying? Don't tell me, it's one of your find again. You already have so many in your room." Joong heard his mother's voice on his way to the bathroom.

Smiled to himself, although his mother would scold him, she still allowed him to keep all the things he found. And he did have a roomful of them.

Took a quick shower, and dried himself with the towel that was already in the bathroom. He carried his soiled clothes to the laundry room and carried the stone to his room. He placed it beside another stone that he found.  He changed to clean clothes and went out from his room to find the broom and dustpan to clean the floor that he dirtied with sand and dirt.

Once he found it, he proceeded to sweep the floor and picked up the sand, but there was still dirt on the floor, so after putting the broom and dustpan away, he looked for a mop to wipe the dirt off and finished cleaning the floor.  And then put away the mop right after. And only then did he went to have his dinner.

Joong's mother already prepared the table for dinner. He was so hungry after all the swimming he did that day.

"Thank you for the food." He said, and picked up his chopsticks to start his dinner.  He ate with gusto and had eaten his fill.  "Thanks mom for dinner. It was delicious." Joong said to his mother.  He picked after himself and washed the dishes. He put away the remaining food. He cleaned the table and cleaned the whole dining area and kitchen after.

He went to watch t.v. for awhile while resting his tired body.

Afterward, he went to his room to sleep for there was school tomorrow.

He picked up the stone he found that day. And played with it in his hands, turning it around in this and that direction. It was a rough stone.  "It seems a little green in the sea awhile ago but it's brown now." Joong was looking at the stone more closely, and feeling the texture of the stone.  After awhile, he placed it back with the other stone. He went out to wash his hands.

The stone moved a little.

He came back and went to his bed to sleep.

The stone moved again. 

Joong was already asleep, when he thought he heard a sound. And sleepily tried to listen to the sound to come again.

But nothing came. So Joong went back to sleep.

The sound woke him again. Scratching his head Joong sleepily got up to investigate what that sound was and where it was coming from.

Yawning and half awake with his eyes half open he tried to find where the sound was coming from. 

Then Joong heard it again, this time it's more clearly. That got his eyes to open wide and he became fully awake.  It was in his room. And it's very close. But he couldn't make what the sound was.  So he listened more intently and tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. He turned his head this way and turn it again the other way and he stooped down to listen.

Heard it again, and it seemed to be coming from the area where the stones were. He went closer to investigate.

The stone moved.

With an intake of breath and an open mouth, Joong stepped back because he was surprised. His eyes got bigger. He went to the light and opened it. The room became luminous. And he turned and looked at the stone.

He stared at it. Waiting.

It moved again.

Another intake of breath, was Joong's reaction.

He slowly went to the stone. And when he was close enough sat down right in front of it. Not touching but looking at it intently.

The stone moved again.

Joong's mouth opened and closed again without making a sound. Joong was blinking his eyes and looking at the stone more intently.

The stone moved again and there was a tiny crack.

"Whaaaat? What is this?" Joong said. Moving his head more closely to the stone to look at the crack. His eyes were wide open.

The stone moved again making the crack bigger. Joong was watching intently, and taking deep breaths.  The stone's movement was becoming stronger and stronger and making the crack bigger and bigger. And then it stopped.  Joong was waiting to what will come next. Holding his breath. There was one very strong move from the stone and the stone was split open.

With a deep intake of breath, Joong can't believe what he was seeing.

"A DRAGON" Joong whispered and can't believe his eyes.

The baby dragon moved slowly and stretched slowly. Eyes slowly opening. She looked directly at Joong. Opened but did not make a sound.  Joong slowly and carefully picked the baby dragon up with both hands.

"OOOOOHHHHH A BABY DRAGON"  Joong could only say in a whisper.

"Look at you." Joong was talking to the baby dragon.

She opened again and again, but no sound came.

"Are you hungry?"  Joong asked the baby dragon. "Oh, I don't know what to feed you."  Still talking to the baby dragon.

Carrying the dragon with both hands Joong went out to the kitchen. He looked first if anyone was awake. Finding no one was up yet he went out to explored the refrigerator for food that he could feed the baby dragon.

Placed the baby dragon on the counter,  he opened the refrigerator and found a left over chicken andtook that out and closed the refrigerator. He took a tiny portion of the chicken and tried if the baby dragon would eat it. The baby dragon ate it right up.

"Oohh You're that hungry hah."  Joong smiled, fed the baby dragon more tiny pieces of the chicken. They were at it for awhile. When Joong thought that the baby dragon had enough he stopped. He placed the left over chicken back to the refrigerator. He cleaned the kitchen. And afterwards he carried the baby dragon back to his room.

"Oh, What am I going to do with you?" Joong asked the baby dragon.

"What will I call you, baby dragon. You must have a name. Hhhmm"  Joong was thinking of a name to give the baby dragon.

"There are so many names......but what name should I give you?" Joong was talking to the baby dragon.

After contemplating it for awhile Joong thought of a name.

"Aahh, I have the name for you... I shall call you..."  Joong was talking to the baby dragon.

"JEREE"  Joong said to the baby dragon.

 

Writer's Note: Dedicated to my fren Jeree.