Author’s POV

A loud crash was heard followed by screeches of vehicle’s wheel one rainy evening. People gathered around the now destroyed black car. A child was seen crawling out of the car with blood on his face. “O-omma, a-appa.” Cried the child over and over again. It continued to echo throughout that scene.

Young Saeng then woke up, panting. He is dreaming again. He saw that scene again. That scene that always make him wake up in the middle of the night. What’s strange about it is that he always felt that that dream is true and has once happened. He felt afraid. Scared. He doesn’t want that to happen. He stood up and went to the kitchen to get some water and to prepare for the restaurant’s opening.

“Adeul-ah, you’re up so early again. You had that nightmare again?” His mother’s voice echoed in the kitchen.

“Ne.” He answered while nodding.

“Aigoo. My poor child.” His mother said while hugging him.

“Kwenchana, omma. I’m used to it.” He said while caressing his mother’s cheek, smiling to her showing those dimpled cheek. His mother chuckled and pinched his cheek.

“Aigoo. Why does my son have to be this cute, handsome and reliable, huh? I am so blessed to have you, you know that?” He giggled.

“Omma, let us finish this early morning sweetness and do some work.” They both laughed.

“Keure. If we sold 100 servings of ddeokbokki, we’ll have seasoned fried chicken tonight you like that?”

“Jinjja?? Jinjja jinjja??” Saengie responded excitedly and with a wide smile.

“De de de. So, better do a good job today, arrajji?”

“De, omma.”

With that, Saengie happily went back to what he is doing, completely forgetting his dream.

Young Saeng POV

I am serving the 79^th serving of ddeokbokki when 3 men came to our food stall that afternoon.

“Where is your mom?” The man in black with a cigarette lit asked me.

“Molla.” Is all I answered not looking at him. Their presence really annoys me.

“Ya kiddo, you want some beating?” The other man in black asked.

“Beat me if you want. I really don’t know where she is.” I said as I wipe the table where in customers ate a while ago.

The third man grabbed my collar with his one hand, the other hand landed on my face. Damn! These loan sharks are really something. Coming here everyday just to collect all the money we have earned.

“Ya!” The first man shouted. “He’s way too cute to be beaten on the face.” He then faced me.

“Do you want to be my toy instead? I’ll write your mother’s debt off.” He proposed, smirking, tracing my cheeks with his pointing finger.

“Not in a million years.” I said returning the smirk, earning his fury and another punch on my stomach making all the customers run away. The third guy held my hands and put it on my back, letting the first and second man beat me. As I am slowly losing my strength after all the beatings, I can feel my body lying on the ground. The 3 men kicking me nonstop.

“Mwoya!” And then I heard my mom’s voice echo, holding some groceries in her hands. “What the hell are you doing to my son?” My mom shouted as she ran towards me, throwing the groceries on the floor.

As she looked as to who had beaten me, she gasped seeing the loan sharks. She bowed immediately and went to the counter to get all the money we have earned.

“Cheoseonghaeyo, this is all we had.” She said, handing the money to the men.

The man harshly grabbed the money from my mother’s hand. “In two months, if you can’t still pay your debt in full, we’ll get your house and this smelly food cart.” He said, eyeing our small source of income.

“De. I’ll work hard for it.” She continued to bow.

“It is good that you know what to do. And teach your son how to properly greet people!” He exclaimed. With that, they walked away our food stall while they throw the chairs everywhere.

My mom didn’t look at them but instead, she hurriedly placed some ice in a cloth. She placed my head on her lap.

“Saeng-ah, kwenchana?” She then asked me worriedly, damping the cold thing on my face.

“De omma.” I said, struggling to breath.

“Aigoo. My poor child.” She said, caressing my bruised cheek. She cries.

“Omma, muljima.” I said, erasing her tears with my thumb.

I felt pity. To my mom, to myself. Why do we have to live like this? Is our hardwork still not enough? I asked myself.

My mom then helped me to stand and to go inside the house. Our food stall is located just outside our house.

I sat on the worn couch. “Omma, I am fine here.” I told her, smiling a bit.

“You sure?”

“De.” I answered.

“Arasso. I’ll continue selling ddeokbokki, okay? They already got our money.” She sighed.

“That’s okay, omma. As long as we are together, even if we eat nothing but ddeokbokki, that is fine.” I said comforting her.

She teared up. “Rest, arasso?” I nodded. She hugged me before finally going out to continue the business. As she turned her back, I started tearing up. You are great, Young Saeng. You held it in. I never wanted to show tears to my mom as I know that it will break her down. And seeing her break down breaks my heart. She’s my only family and I don’t really know where my father is.

I continued to cry while I am thinking what to do to be of help to my mother. I finished only my 7^th grade so I can’t do anything. She will never let me do construction or any manual labor for she doesn’t want me to go through hardships. She wanted to give me a good life. A life that is comfortable. She wanted to give me her everything and I am thankful even if she doesn’t have anything.

I wiped my tears as I felt my eyes getting heavy. I closed my eyes and there, I went to my dreamland.

--

I felt a hand on my cheeks that night. I have awoken to the touch of my mom’s warm hands.

“Saengie, wake up now. Dinner is ready.”

“Oh, omma. What time is it?” I asked looking around.

“It is already 8. Pali. Your seasoned fried chicken is waiting for you.”

“Jinjja??” My eyes widened and I stood up. I felt pain in my whole body that made me sit on the couch.

“Adeul-ah, careful!” My mother exclaimed as she saw my face frowning.

She grabbed my arms and helped me walk to the kitchen. She helped me sit down and there, there really is seasoned fried chicken.

“Omma, where did you get the money from? The loan sharks took it all away.” I asked her wondering.

“Adeul-ah, remember that in every bad thing, there is always a return of a good thing. They maybe have had all our hard earned money but you know, a student treated his classmates because it’s his birthday.” She told me with a smile.

“I promised you, right? That if we sold 100 servings then we’ll have this for dinner. I sold 113!” She excitedly told me.

I smiled at her. “So you better eat many, okay? It is for you.” I nodded and started eating happily.

I am so happy that she is my mom. From this day forward, I’ll help my mom with all I can. Singing. Yeah. That is all I can do. And if this will bring us up, I’ll gladly use this voice to help her.

***

How's this chapter? Keke. Please tell me what you think. Thankyu. ^^