Chapter 1 - Prologue
Mission 1004Chapter 1 - Prologue
Park Sanghee let out a string of curses as she jogged through the bustling crowds. I am late, so damn late, she cursed in her head when she bumped into several person who doesn't bother to return her halfhearted apology. Her legs finally stopped in front of a small building with some hangul written in bold lettering on top of the entrance door. She took a deep breath and made her way into the building, a confident smile etched on her face.
"Park Joon." She let out a sigh of relief when entered the class just in time for him to came forward.
The five years old boy carried a piece of paper filled with messy drawing. His face brightened when he scanned the crowds and found his mother waving at him with her usual motherly smile. He looked at his teacher, who nodded in understanding before he sprinted towards his mother, wrapping his arms around her slim waist.
"Mommy" he squealed when his mother tickled his waist and showered him with kisses.
"Go." She lightly pushed him to go back to his teacher.
Jiyong, the quirky-and-undeniably-attractive teacher gave her a small nod before he helped her son do his presentation.
“This is me!" At one point, Joon get a little too excited she can hear his voiced went up a few notch and she laughed when he pointed at her.
“And that’s my mommy!” He flashed everyone his infamous grin.
Her smile faltered a bit when she noticed few stares came her way. There were only two person in the picture and one are free to intrepret it as they want.
"Yes?" She bravely asked a mother who kept whispering with her eyes glued on her.
The lady jumped and turned beet red in embarrassment before zipping shut. Sanghee smiled in victory and once again fixed her gaze at her son who seems to have a good time. Once in a while, she would caught Jiyong giving her a worried glance, which she replied with a small smile. She has troubled him enough all these years and she’s not going to burden him with such petty troubles.
She decided to stay behind when Jiyong dismissed the class not long after her son’s presentation. She watched him mumbled incoherent words as he put the stacks of children’s drawing inside a drawer before he walked to the back of the classroom and sat on one of the chair, his eyes bore into hers.
“How you doing?” he grinned and showed his perfect teeth.
Sanghee shook her head and playfully pushed him when he started to make funny faces at her.
“What’s wrong with you, jiyong?” She laughed.
“You looked upset before. And i’m pretty sure I saw your eyes watered a bit. Those mothers can be pretty stupid sometimes.” Jiyong sat up straight and gave her a warm smile.
She looked at the man in front of her. He has been nothing but a great friend and she can’t thank him enough for that. She met him when she was still 8. Her brother decided to hang out with his friends in their house that day. She remembered her brother telling her to go play on her own for a while because his friends are here. But she couldn’t stay still when she kept hearing playful banter and laughter in his brother’s room. She decided to get out of her room and tip toed to the room across from her, which are slightly opened. She peeked inside and found his brother with 2 other boys she didn’t know, although one look strangely familiar. She looked back when she felt someone tapping her shoulder. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw an unknown boy standing behind him with his eyebrows raised. It was a matter of second before her brother sprinted outside and found her crying because she was scared.
“What the hell happened?” Her brother, who was already 12 that year asked.
“I think I surprised her.” The boy sheepishly grinned.
Sanghee was sitting on the floor, crying her eyes out and when she saw her brother she quickly scrambled towards him.
“Oppa, that boy is scary.” She whispered between her hiccups.
Her brother looked at his friend who dressed like a rock star, wearing studded shirts, ripped jeans and a black cap with monster illustration on it.
“Can you please take that hat off, Jiyong?” her brother sighed.
His other two friends walked out of the room and watched the scene in amusement. Jiyong took off his cap and crouched down to Sanghee’s level.
“Hi, you must be Jay hyung’s sister.” He smiled, causing her to cry louder.
“Hyung, i think you really scared her.” A boy laughed and tried to approach Sanghee.
“Annyeong, Sanghee! My name is WOO JI HO! We are in the same grade!” the youngest of them waved his hand in front of her.
Sanghee stared at the smiling boy in front of her, trying his best to make her laugh and her sobs came to a stop.
“Jiho?” She mumbled.
He furiously nodded in excitement and pointed at the last boy standing behind him.
“This is Seunghyun hyung.” her eyes watched the last boy in amusement as he tried to make her laugh.
“Oh, now she loves everyone but me.” Jiyong huffed.
“I did tell you to stop wearing those scary cap.” Jaebum shrugged and put his sister down.
“huh?” She snapped back to reality when her son jumped into her lap.
“You really need some rest, you know.” Jiyong watched Sanghee cradled her son while struggling to pick up her ringing phone.
“Thanks.” She gave him a grateful smile when Jiyong took her son so she can take the call.
“Hello?” She answered as she walked out of the room to get a better reception.
“Miss Park, I want to inform you about the file. Would you like us to mail it to you or are you going to pick it up?” The woman on the phone asked her.
“Can you mail it to me, please? I don’t think i have the time to go there today.”
“Sure. Have a nice day, Miss Park.” the caller ended the conversation.
She stared at her phone and her eyes slowly moved towards the small boy who’s having a great time with his uncle.
“Joon-ah, do you want to go home?” She asked with a huge smile on her face.
Jiyong watched her picked up her son in sympathy. She looked so exhausted lately, he thought as he walked them out.
“I mean it, Sanghee. Take some rest.” He gave her a small kiss on her forehead before she got inside the taxi Jiyong called for her.
“I will, oppa. See you later.” She smiled.
2014.03.07 Friday
By Seoulchae
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