Chapter one: Kidnapped

Hana felt her head and back sore. The moment she opened her eyes, she couldn’t see a thing. Everything was black. She realized that her eyes were covered and her hands were tied up to her back, only her legs were free. The girl was lying at the cold floor and she decided to sit up. Hana couldn’t remember a thing. The last thing she remembered was she walking back from school when suddenly a man grabbed her wrist and covered and nose with a handkerchief, which contained a weird aroma. Then, the moment she inhaled that scent, she passed out.

“Oh! You woke up,” Hana heard a male voice as she heard the door cracked. Judging the soft but rough tone of the voice the girl guessed it belongs to a teen.  “I bring you some food. You should be starving,” the boy’s voice cracked a bit making her giggled. His voice was indeed changing. It was passing through puberty. The latter sit and place the food next to Hana.

“Where am I?” Hana knew it was useless to scream. She knew she was trapped and all she could do is wait. It was the only reasonable answer she could think of. She was a smart young girl.

“I´m not allow to tell you that, Hana”

“Y-You know my name?” The boy nodded, but Hana wasn’t able to see him.

“I’m sorry that you had to go through this,” he said, “At least, you don’t have to face the same condition as the others,” the boy added mumbling.

Hana couldn’t understand the last part. What was he trying to say? What kind of condition the boy next to her was talking about?

“Am I allowed to know your name?” He giggled. “I´m sorry, but no”

Hana pouted slightly. “At least your age? You sound young”

The boy thought a bit and agreed. Telling her his age wouldn’t risk anything. “We´re five years apart”

Hana thought deeply and she assumed the boy was around sixteen. She was eleven after all. But then she got aware that this boy knew details about her. If he knew her name and her age, it most probably that he knows about her family and her background.

“Here eat this,” the boy took the piece of bread that he brought and put it near Hana’s mouth. The latter at first hesitated. Maybe it was poisoned; she couldn’t trust him this easily. He was a stranger after all and, above all, he was an accomplice in her kidnapping. “I can assure you it’s not poisoned or anything like that. If they want to kill you, they would have already done it. Don’t you think?”

He had a point there. Hana opened and bite the bread. She wasn’t sure how many hours had she slept neither what time it was. She wasn’t sure when would be the next time she will receive something to eat. At least, the piece of bread she was eating would help her not to pass out again due to not eating anything.

Before she even knew it, Hana already finished the piece of bread.

“Are you thirsty?” Hana nodded. The boy took the bottle of water he brought, opened it and helped Hana drinking; the latter had her hands tied up so she wasn’t able to do anything by herself.

“Sorry that the only thing I could bring you was a piece of bread and water”

Hana shook her head, she was thankful. “Thank you,” Hana smiled a bit making the boy smiled at her too. The first couldn’t see his reaction so he analyzed her smile and her face. He took the chance to examine Hana’s soft features. Her small and pinky lips, her defined nose, her puffy and rosy cheeks. Also he noticed her soft brown hair tided in a ponytail at her nape. She was still using her school uniform. And for a moment, he felt guilty. This wasn’t the first time, they kidnapped a girl. He got used to it, but then, once again, the sudden feel of blame hit him.

Both heard a knocked in the door. The boy knew they were calling him so he stood up.

“Are you leaving?” Hana asked.

“Mhm, but don’t worry you won’t be here longer”

He made his way towards the door and closed it. The boy sighed. It was his duty to take care of the victims, who were mostly females around ten to seventeen or even older. He got the duty to bring them food and reporting their behavior towards the head behind the abduction: his father.

“He’s calling you.” The boy nodded and walked towards his father’s office. The moment he arrived, he knocked.

“Come in.” The boy opened the door and entered the organized room. He saw him reading some of the victim’s reports.

“Lu Han, please sit,” his father closed the folder and looked at his son with a strong gaze. “Tell me about the girl”

“She was pretty calm the moment I talked to her,” Lu Han started, “She wasn’t afraid of talking to me”

His father nodded and searched for a distinct folder. He was searching for the one regarding the personal information of their most recent victim: Hana.

The man opened the folder and started reading out loud the information written, “Minami Hana. Age: eleven. Her father is a business man and her mother passed away six months ago. She has a younger brother called Junwoo, who is six months old,” he paused a bit and smirked at what was written there, “Seems his mother died after giving birth”

“I bet his father could pay a huge amount in exchange for that pretty young girl if we threaten him. He´s an undocumented in this country. It says here that he arrived to Korea fifteen years ago from Japan searching for work and now he´s working at a small company, but still he doesn’t have documents,” the old man smirked.

Lu Han didn’t say a think. He was out of words. He didn’t know what to say but to listen to him.

“Else we can sell her for a huge amount. She´s young and so the biddings would be high,” the man added as he closed the folder. Lu Han eyes grew wider in surprise and fear. He knew that sometimes his father sell the victims he abduct, but the boy didn’t knew why he didn’t want to happen that to Hana. He refused it.

“I think that wouldn’t be necessary, father. I´ll talk to Hana to ask her if her father will be willing to pay for the rescue”

The older man nodded. “Just don’t get too attached to her”

“Of course I won’t, father”

That moment Lu Han stood up, bowed and left his father´s office. He started walking towards the room where Hana was. Lu Han opened the door, got near the young girl and sat in front of her.

Hana as she heard the door opening waited for the person who just entered to start talking. She didn’t know who it was; it could be the boy she just talked with or another person. She needed to be cautious.

“Hana?”

In that moment, Hana was sure she had heard that voice. She was sure it belonged to the boy who brought her food and smiled a bit. “You back?”

“Mhm,” Lu Han mumbled, “Do you think your father would be willing to pay for your rescue?”

Hana stood quite for a bit and her lips formed a tin line. She was thinking deeply and sighed. Hana knew he will be willing to pay, but what scared her the most is the reprimand she will receive the moment she face his father. After all, Hana was sure his father will scold her for not being cautious, for being so inattentive and for being so naive. All those thoughts form on Hana´s mind. But not only was she afraid of her, but also for her younger brother. What would happen to Junwoo if she wasn’t there for him? Because the one who takes care of the little boy is her: Hana. His father is so occupy in his business that he barely has time for his daughter and his young boy.

“Hana, are you ok?” Lu Han asked as he didn’t hear an answered from her, “Your father would pay, wouldn’t he?” The boy bitted his lower lip in anxiety.

Hana sobbed and nodded. “He would. I’m sure he will”

Lu Han smiled widely at her response and stood up. “Ok. I have to inform about it” Hana nodded and then she heard him walking and opening the door. Soon the room was full of silence. The only sound it could be heard was the soft whining of the eleven year old girl. Who wasn’t crying because of being afraid or nervousness of being in a unknown place, but due to the strict father she has. The moment her mother passed away all the scorings got more often and even louder. There were times where Hana´s father hit her. But it wasn’t due to her not doing this right, Hana was a good student and was in charge not only of taking care of her little brother but also the house chores, it was due to the stress her father had from work. She assumed it was from it. Because she didn’t want to think otherwise. Because it was the most logical answer for her.

Lu Han walked once again back to his father office, knocked and entered.

“So? What did she said?”

“She assure me he would”

“Ok,” the old man smirked, “Let’s settle it”

-

“Hana,” Lu Han shook the sleeping girl, whose head was resting against the cold wall, “Hana, wake up”

“What happen?” She answered with a sleepy tone and yawn after it.

“Your father agreed on the rescue. They´re going to take you towards the place your father will pick you up and leave the money”

“They? Aren’t you going?”

Lu Han giggled at her cute response. Had she already grew attached to him? “I´m not allow to go, sorry”

“I see,” Hana mumbled with a crestfallen tone.

“Stand up. I´ll guide you towards the door”

Lu Han helped Hana stood up and the moment the girl was standing he noticed she was pretty tall for her age. Hana reached to his nose. Or maybe he wasn’t that tall yet. At the age of sixteen Lu Han was about 165 cm, still short. He guided towards the door and the moment Lu Han touched the knob, Hana spoke.

“I guess this is a goodbye” Lu Han turned to her and smiled.

“I guess it is. I’m sorry about this. That you had to face a situation like this,” Lu Han apologized once again.

Hana shook her head. “It’s ok. Don’t blame yourself about it. It was due to my carelessness that this happened.” And before Lu Han could even protest, they heard a knocked that indicated that it was already time.

“Take care, Sorry-boy”

Lu Han raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Sorry-boy?”

“Yes, Sorry-boy. If I’m not able to know your real name, at least I can address you with a nickname and due to the only thing you said to me every time we talk was sorry I thought it fits you,” Hana paused, “Well, take care sorry-boy”

Lu Han smiled widely. He liked his nickname. “Yeah, take care, Hana” In that moment, he opened the door and guided her outside the room. In front of Lu Han and Hana was a young boy around Lu Han´s age, who was in fact one his friends. He was one out of the two people in charge of sending Hana back to his father and collecting the money.

“Take care of her, Yixing,” Lu Han mumbled only audible for his friend. Yixing was a year younger than Lu Han but both had a similar personality. In fact, Yixing was really serious and serene.

Yixing, who had a mischievous smile, raised an eyebrow towards Lu Han, but nodded. Then he guided Hana towards outside the building and then towards the vehicle. They were in the first floor so it was easy to guide the young girl.

Then Hana realized she was sitting in what could be a car, which started its way then moment she heard the door close next to her; Hana also felt someone next to her.

“Just to be sure, Hana, be careful of what you say towards the police or you father. If we get caught, you´ll be in a dangerous situation,” Yixing whispered out of nowhere making Hana nodded in response.

“Did you threat my father for my rescue?” Hana asked. She knew what information could be used against his father that could make him agree: the fact he could go to prison due to being an undocumented.

“Yes, they did. I bet you know the source?” Hana nodded and wondered why this guy next to her was referring towards a “they”. Wasn’t he part of the plan?  Hana didn’t ask further because she knew the guy next to him won’t answer her. Hana was just a victim and if she gets information she isn’t supposed to know, God knows the fate that awaits the young girl. So, after the short talk, Hana got quitted the hole drive. She guessed that it took around ten minutes to reach the place Hana is supposed to meet her father.

 The car stopped indication they reached the location. Hana got a bit scared and timid.

“We arrived,” Yixing voice made Hana woke up from her thoughts. Soon he helped her go out or the car and stood next to it for a moment. They were in a solitary park. It was late, passed midnight, so there weren’t people around. Only darkness and a freezing air. Yixing made his way towards the place where was supposed the money to be, in a garbage can. He opened it and found a bag. Yixing examined it and found the agreed amount then he got back to car and guided Hana towards a bench.

“Wait here until you father shows up,” Hana nodded and sat in the bench. Then she felt him left and heard the car´s engine. She assumed they already left. The only thing Hana could do its wait for his father. She was still with her hands tided and her eyes covered, so there wasn’t anything she could do but wait.

Seconds seems hours and minutes years to her, but just passed five minutes for his father to show up. The moment her recognized her, he ran towards her and untied her. Hana uncovered her eyes and the exact moment she did it her father slapped her hard.

“Are you stupid?!” Her father yelled and Hana touched her swollen cheek, “I can’t believe how carelessness you could be, Hana!”

“I’m sorry, dad,” Hana whispered as she trembled in coldness and fear.

“Sorry isn’t enough, Hana!” Her father rubbed his temple out of frustration, “We´ll talk about this at home. Now go to the car”

Hana stood up quickly and headed towards the car with his father following her behind. Soon the car headed towards Hana´s home.

Yixing´s phone vibrated. He got a message from Lu Han.

Did her father arrive?

Yixing saw the whole thing. He saw how Hana´s father slap her and how he yelled at her. He couldn’t do nothing about it, but stare. Yixing felt a bit guilty and he noticed Hana´s gloomy eyes.

Yes, he did, but…

What?! Yixing, what happen?!

I think I should tell you this in person.

Ok.

author's note: 

First chapter ^^ Hope you like it! I had fun writing it XD

If you wonder, this happens when Hana, the main, was eleven years old as stated before. This happened seven years ago! ;)

Let me know what you think on the comments. Have a nice day and if I dont manage to update before Xmas... MERRY CHRISTMAS! I HOPE YOU GET LOTS OF LOVE AND PRESENTS! ♥ See you next time

Posted: 2013/12/22