chapter iv.

                Kibum woke up excitedly that morning. Just one day to go and it was his birthday, and also it was the day his halmoni would be back. He got up early and went directly to his bathroom, letting the cold water trickle down his white skin. The start of his day was unusually bright, but when he went to the kitchen to have his breakfast, his mood plummeted; heart was broken.
 

                “Kibum-sshi. I’m sorry, but… you’re halmoni won’t be coming home tomorrow, or the days after. She won’t be back anymore. I-I’m sorry.” Mr. Jang softly told the boy, careful not to disconcert the poor boy more.
 

                Kibum’s body went rigid all over. He couldn’t speak, nor could he react to what his driver told him. His eyes just shot open, and his mouth gaped wide. Until he felt someone hugging him from behind; a pair of short skinny arms was wrapped around his shoulders. Not long after, he felt wet substances trailing down his cheeks; he was crying. He tried to open his lips to say something, but no words came out. He just kept crying, not caring about how his eyes were already red, and how he was already gripping tightly onto the arms which were wrapped around him, nails digging deep on the other’s skin.

                “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

                It was all he could say, it wasn’t even a word, but it was enough to describe what he was feeling at the moment. He thrashed around, trying to get away from the strong grasp of the boy hugging him from behind. Until he finally broke free, and ran away. He didn’t know where to go, he just wanted to run. He just wanted his feet to drag him away from that place, drag him to somewhere he could clear his thoughts, or maybe somewhere he could cry his heart out. Until his feet grew tired of running, he tripped and fell, rolling down on a field of sunflowers. When he stopped falling and rolling, he was positioned lying on his back, facing the empty blue sky. He just let his tears glide down his temples, not caring whether his body runs out of water or not.
 

                Not long after, he felt someone lay beside him, and in the same position as him. His sobs got a little harder.
 

                “W-what am I g-going t-to do now? S-she’s gone… A part of me is gone. What should I do, Dubu? What CAN I do now? How am I going to live my life… alone, again?” He tried hard not to garble with his words, as he cried harder.
 

                Dubu struggled to find the crying boy’s hand, and entwined it with his, trying to transfer his own body heat to the boy’s cold, melancholic hand.
 

                “You’re not alone, Kibum.”
 

                “H-how can you be so sure?” Kibum sat up straight, facing the other boy, the expression in his eyes hovering between frustration and sorrow.
 

                Dubu also sat up, and faced Kibum.
 

                “Because, I am here. I will never, ever leave you. NEVER.And didn’t I promise your halmoni? That I will take care of you, always? You will never be alone again, Kibum.”
 

                The boy reached for the other’s face, his hand resting on the crying boy’s cheek. He leaned closer to him and kissed the tears away from his eyes. Kibum didn’t move away or pushed him, like he always did, but instead remained silent and closed his eyes. The other’s lips travelled to Kibum’s forehead, then to the tip of his nose and then finally, to his lips. It was just a small and quick peck, but it was more than enough to make Kibum feel better, and make him whole again.
 
 

                “Just like a faithful pet, I’ll always be here… Until the day you tell me to leave.”
 

--
 

                 “Kibum. Wake up.” Kibum felt someone shaking him, trying to wake him up, after he had fallen asleep from crying hard the night before.
 

                “Mmm..?” Kibum just groaned, clearly not ready to wake up from his slumber.
 

                “Kibum. It’s us. It’s your mom and dad.”
 

                The boy’s eyes shot open as the familiar voice passed through his ears. He hurriedly sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t just having another dream.
 

                “We need to go now.” His mother told him.
 

                “G-go where, Eommeoni?”
 

                “You’re coming with us. We’re going to America.” 




                It was just 5 o’ clock in the morning, but the mansion was unusually loud, from the way Kibum struggled and whined in protest, as his parents dragged him to the car.
 

                “But what about halmoni’s wake?”
 

                “The servants will take care of that. I’ve already told them what to do.”
 

                “But, I want to be there, too!”
 

             “Don’t be such a spoiled brat, Kibum! We’ve already made arrangements for your arrival in America. We’re busy and this is the only time we have to pick you up from here.”
 

                “But—…it’s my birthday.”
 

               And... Dubu... I can’t leave him.
 

                His parents didn’t hear Kibum, as they forced him inside the car.

                “And… I haven’t even said ‘good bye’ to him yet.”
 

               Kibum’s eyes brimmed with tears as the car drove away from the place he had once called ‘home’.
 

               So painful, I couldn’t breathe. Those were the feelings I carried with me, the day that I turned 12; the day I, myself, left my own pet, alone.

               “I’m sorry… when I promised you I’d take care of you.”

--

 7 years later.

 

                “AERIS International Airlines Flight Number 23 has arrived. Acquaintances of the on board passengers, kindly stay in the waiting area for order purposes. Thank you.” The intercom sounded as another airplane landed in front of the man’s eyes that afternoon. He was busying himself with an old business magazine he found lying beside him on the waiting area’s couch, while waiting for someone who was aboard on the plane that had just arrived. As the passengers exited the landing field one by one, he stretched his neck hard, trying to catch a glimpse of everyone who was entering the waiting area, looking for a certain someone.
 

                “Ah!” And finally, he caught sight of the one he had been waiting for for hours. He flapped his arms in the air, trying to gain the attention of the young man.
 

                The young man finally became aware of the man who had been shouting for his name the whole time, since he entered the waiting area.
 

                “Sheesh, stop screaming my name. It’s embarrassing. Come on. Let’s just go home.“
 

                “Yes, young master.”

               “Welcome back, Kibum-sshi.” Mr. Jang bowed respectfully and led his young master to the cherry red Rolls Royce that was parked near the entrance gate of the airport.

 

                I’m back. You’re master’s finally back, Dubu. Did you wait long? Just little while… I’m coming home.

--

A/N: Actually, I should have posted this immediately after I did the previous one, cos Ch3 and Ch4 are actually just one chapter. :P Anyway, sorry this took so long. ;A; I was too busy rp-ing as Luna, I forgot that I haven't posted the next chapter yet. ><;;;